Jig fishing lure

ABSTRACT

A jig-type fishing lure having a jig body with a hook extending from a rear portion of the body and a spinner-type fish attractant located forward of a front end of the jig body. A fishing line is attached to an attachment point located between the spinner-type fish attractant and the barb of the rearwardly extending hook.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to fishing lures. More particularly,this invention relates to a jig fishing lure which incorporates amovable member at a location forward the location on the jig where afishing line is attached.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Jigs are a popular type of fishing lure and are used to fish for avariety of fish species. Jigs are typically characterized as having ahook partially embedded within a jig body, typically a weighted body oflead. Prior jigs are known which incorporate spinners or propellers toadd desirable fish-attracting effects. The present invention relates toa jig lure incorporating a movable member, such as a propeller or aspinner, in a manner which is believed to enhance fish attractingcharacteristics, particularly when the jig lure is vertically jigged.

In a preferred embodiment, the lure includes a hook having a bendadjacent a barb to define a rear end of the lure and a shank extendingtoward an opposite front end of the lure. A lure body is attached to aportion of the shank of the hook and a movable support member extendsfrom the lure body toward the front end of the lure and generally awayfrom the rear end of the lure. A movable member, such as a spinner bladeor a propeller, is movably associated with the movable support memberfor moving during use of the lure to attract fish to the lure. Themovable member is located forward of the lure body adjacent the frontend of the lure. A line attachment member is located adjacent the bodyfor securement of a fishing line to the lure. The line attachment memberis located between the rear end of the lure and the movable member. In apreferred embodiment, the line attachment member is provided by an eyeof the hook that extends from the lure body.

In another embodiment, the invention relates to a jig-type fishing lurehaving a jig body with a hook extending from a rear portion of the bodyand a spinner-type fish attractant located forward of a front end of thejig body. A fishing line is attached to an attachment point locatedbetween the spinner-type fish attractant and the barb of the rearwardlyextending hook.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of preferred embodiments of the invention will becomeapparent by reference to the detailed description of preferredembodiments when considered in conjunction with the figures, which arenot to scale, wherein like reference numbers, indicate like elementsthrough the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a jig lure in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the invention incorporating a propeller type movablemember and illustrating attachment of a fishing line to the jig and theorientation of the fishing line such as when the jig lure is beingraised upwardly during vertical jigging;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a jig lure in accordance with an alternateembodiment of the invention and illustrating attachment of a fishingline to the jig and the orientation of the fishing line such as when thejig lure is allowed to fall during vertical jigging;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a jig lure in accordance with yet anotherembodiment of the invention and showing a plastic bait incorporated onthe jig lure;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a jig lure in accordance with a still furtherembodiment of the invention incorporating a spinner type movable member;and

FIG. 5 is a side view of a jig lure in accordance with a yet furtherembodiment of the invention incorporating a straight-shanked hook.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With initial reference to FIG. 1, the invention relates to a fishinglure 10 having a hook 12, a body 14, a line attachment member 16, amovable member 18, and a movable member support 20.

The hook 12 includes a barb 22, a bend 24, a shank 26, and an eye 28.The hook 12 is preferably a conventional hook of the type used to makejigs, such as a 1/0 Aberdeen style jig hook. The depicted hook 12 is aconventional jig hook and has a bend 30 in the shank adjacent the eye28. The bend 30 is preferably made at an angle of from about 60 to about90 degrees relative to the shank 26.

The body 14 is preferably a weighted body, most preferably formed oflead, tungsten, or the like, and formed by placing the hook in a mold toshape the lead to form the body 14 in a desired shape surrounding aportion of the hook 12. For example, the body 14 is preferably shaped toinclude a head 32 and a collar 34, with a portion of the shank 26 withinthe body 14 so that the eye 28 of the hook 12 extends free of the head32 and the barb 22 of the hook 12 is posterior of the collar 34.Accordingly, when a jig hook is used, the line attachment member 16 ispreferably provided by the eye 28 of the hook 12. However, in the eventa straight-shanked hook is used or the body is formed such that the eyeof the hook is not exposed, then the line attachment member 16 maypreferably be provided as by a screw eye or other structure whichprovides structure to attach a fishing line 35.

The jig lure 10 has a rear end 36 generally corresponding to the bend 24and a front end 38 generally corresponding to the portion of the movablemember support 20 most remote from the bend 24. After the body 14 isformed, it is preferably colored as by painting or powder coating. Thebody 14 may be formed in a variety of shapes. Examples of preferred bodyshapes are common jig body shapes such as round, tube, pony, banana,shad, and football. The collar 34 preferably includes a barb 40 to helphold a plastic bait or the like.

The body 14 may also preferably include structure for inhibitingsnagging of the hook 12, such as when the jig lure 10 is fished in waterhaving weeds. For example, a weed guard 42 may be included as bypositioning stiff fibers or the like within the mold during formation ofthe body 14. Likewise, a rubber skirt, bucktail, feathers, and the likemay be incorporated into the head or an attractant, such as a plasticbait may be installed. In this regard, FIGS. 2 and 3 show alternate headshapes, with FIG. 3 showing a plastic grub 44 positioned on the hood 22.

The movable member 18 is preferably configured to move when the jig lure10 is moved underwater. For example, when the lure 10 is pulled upwardlythrough the water or allowed to fall or settle toward the bottom of abody of water. Examples of preferred structures for the movable member18 include a propeller 46. When the lure 10 is moved through the water,the propeller will spin or rotate about the movable member support 20and emit flash from reflected sunlight and vibrations which are believedto attract fish to the lure 10.

The movable member support 20 is preferably provided by a portion ofwire 48 having opposite ends 50 and 52. For example, the support 20 maybe 19 gauge steel wire. The end 50 is preferably provided within themold during formation of the body 14 and bent around the shank 26 of thehook 12 adjacent the bend 30 (FIG. 1). The wire 48 is preferablysubstantially straight or linear along its length and sized and locatedso as to extend substantially co-axial with the major straight portionof the shank 26 of the hook 12.

The wire 48 preferably extends out of a frontal portion of the body 14 adistance sufficient to enable mounting of the movable member 18, such asthe propeller 46, thereto. The end 52 is preferably curled to serve as astop to retain the propeller 46 from sliding off the wire 18. Inaddition, additional attractants, such as one or more preferablybrightly colored beads 54, are preferably located on the movable membersupport 20. The beads 54 preferably range in size from about 2 to about6 mm in major diameter and two of the beads 54 are preferably installed,one on each side of the propeller 46. It has been observed that thisorientation of the beads 54 facilitates rotation of the propeller 18.The beads 54 may be of a variety of shapes, such as round and teardropshapes.

With reference to FIG. 4, there is shown a jig lure 60 in accordancewith an alternate embodiment of the invention. The lure 60 issubstantially similar to the previously described lures, except itincorporates a slightly more elongate support 20′ and incorporates amovable member 18′ in the form of a spinner blade 62 mounted to thesupport 20′ as by a preferably metal clevis 64 rotatably mounted on thesupport 20′. The blade 62 is preferably shaped to correspond toconventional fishing blades, such as blade shapes referred to asColorado, Indiana, Willowleaf, and Dakota blades.

FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of a jig lure 70. The lure 70 issubstantially similar to the lure 10 described previously, except thatit is made using a hook 12 that does not have an eye disposed at a rightangle to the shank of the hook. Rather, the hook 12′ has a shank 26′that is substantially linear and extends out of the front of body 14′.

The portion of the shank 26′ that extends out of the front of the body14′ is preferably encircled about itself to form a loop 72, andthereafter returns to the linear orientation. The loop 72 providesattachment member 16′ to which fishing is attached. The portion of theshank 26′ located forward of the loop 72 serves as movable membersupport 20′ in the manner of the movable member support 20. It ispreferred that a sufficient number of the beads 54 be used to space thepropeller 46 sufficiently remote from the attachment member 16′ so as toinhibit interference between the propeller 46 and the fishing lineattached to the member 16′. This orientation is preferred when fishinglive bait such as salamanders or crawfish, so as to position theattachment member 16′ farther from the bait. The body 14′ is shownhaving a collar 34′ which does not include the barb 40. This ispreferred when utilizing live bait with the lure 70.

The foregoing description of certain exemplary embodiments of thepresent invention has been provided for purposes of illustration only,and it is understood that numerous modifications or alterations may bemade in and to the illustrated embodiments without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

1. A fishing lure, comprising: a hook having a bend adjacent a barb todefine a rear end of the lure and a shank extending from the bend towardan opposite front end of the lure; a lure body attached to the shank ofthe hook; a support member attached to and extending forwardly from thelure body toward the front end of the lure and generally away from therear end of the lure; a movable member movably supported on the supportmember for movement when the lure moves through water in a manner so asto attract fish to the lure; and a line attachment member attached tothe lure adjacent the lure body for securement of a fishing line to thelure, the line attachment member being disposed so as to provide a pointof attachment of the line to the lure that is located generally betweenthe rear end of the lure and the movable member.
 2. The lure of claim 1,wherein the hook further includes an eye that extends outside of andaway from the body to provide the line attachment member.
 3. The lure ofclaim 1, wherein the body is a weighted body.
 4. The lure of claim 1,wherein the support member comprises a wire having an end extendingforwardly from the body and on which the moveable member is rotatablymounted.
 5. The lure of claim 1, wherein the movable member comprises apropeller rotatably mounted on the support member.
 6. The lure of claim1, wherein the movable member comprises a spinner blade rotatablymounted on the support member.
 7. A jig-type fishing lure comprising ajig body with a hook extending from a rear portion of the body andterminating at a pointed barb, a spinner-type fish attractant rotatablymounted on a support extending forwardly of a front end of the jig body,and a fishing line attachment member attached to the jig body forattachment of a fishing line to the lure at a location generally betweenthe fish attractant and the barb of the hook.
 8. The lure of claim 7,wherein the spinner-type fish attractant comprises a propeller.
 9. Thelure of claim 7, wherein the wherein the spinner-type fish attractantcomprises a spinner blade.
 10. The lure of claim 7, wherein the hook hasan eye adjacent an end opposite the end with the barb and wherein thehook is embedded within the jig body so that the eye extends out of andgenerally laterally away from the jig body to provide the fishing lineattachment member.
 11. The lure of claim 7, wherein the spinner-typeattractant is mounted on a wire extending forwardly from the body in adirection generally opposite the direction that the hook extends awayfrom the body.